Husband of Novy Chardon, John Chardon, flies back to Australia after police unearth ute at home linked to case

THE husband of missing Gold Coast woman Novy Chardon busted with a stun gun on his return from overseas business trip today, police say.

Sources said Customs officials found the taser in Mr Chardon's luggage at Brisbane Airport after he flew in from Singapore on a 7.15am flight.

He was detained for more than an hour at the airport as officials searched his baggage and questioned him.

Customs refused to comment but the taser is believed to have been confiscated.

John Chardon, who has been named by his own lawyer as the ‘chief suspect’ in his wife’s disappearance, chewed gum and refused to comment as he faced a barrage of questions from news crews at Brisbane International Airport this morning.

The millionaire businessman has been overseas on business since the first anniversary of his wife’s disappearance last month.

He was absent this week while police yesterday retrieved parts of a white Ford F100 utility, buried under 4m of dirt in a Mount ­Nathan back yard.

Police allege it is the same make and model as a ute seen at Mrs Chardon’s Upper Coomera home before her disappearance 13 months ago.

A similar vehicle was also observed in the area after the discovery of Mrs Chardon’s abandoned car in ­Nerang several days later and police believe the ute could be crucial in unravelling the mystery.

After finding a tray, part of the driver’s cabin and some carpet, police late yesterday called off the search.

The vehicle parts will be forensically tested for DNA, fingerprints and any other evidence that could link the car to Mrs Chardon.

Police also found parts of a black Nissan Navara in the Eden Park Court property back yard, which will also be examined.

Police have not ruled out the possibility of that vehicle also being linked to Mrs Chardon’s ­disappearance.

Despite the find, police had hoped to find more clues at the site.

There had been speculation Mrs Chardon may have been entombed in a vehicle buried at the property.

Detective Superintendent Dave Hutchinson from South Eastern region police yesterday said there were still other leads being followed in the case.

“I’m still of the view there are people out there who know what happened to Novy,” he said.

The owner of the Mount Nathan property has also denied having anything to do with Mrs Chardon’s disappearance.